Heard Communications, Inc.
Starting in 2024, Marty McFly Junior works at this company, hence it's notability to my BTTF fics. The company is also fictional!
For a list of stations owned by this company in mid-2030, see here.
| Heard Communications, Inc. | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | June 25, 2018; years ago |
| Founder | ShaQuan Heard |
| Headquarters | Modesto, California |
Heard Communications, Inc. is an American television company based in Modesto, California, alongside its flagship station KAZV-CD (Channel 14). It currently owns eight independent television stations across Northern California.
Described as a "pseudo-network," Heard stations hold in common their own local news operations, designed to serve areas underrepresented by larger stations; some stations also share the same "Be Heard!" branding. Additionally, Heard stations hold the rights to syndicate KVHV's program Grampa's Science Fiction Theater, usually airing it on Friday or Saturday nights (each station's discretion).
ShaQuan Heard, former Chief Technology Officer at ELB Technologies, purchased the low-power station KAZV in 2014. Heard expanded the station's news operation, launching the award-winning program Good Morning Modesto in 2015. Heard decided to purchase KBIT in Chico when it came up for auction in 2018, launching another news operation. Heard then founded Heard Communications to oversee the two stations.
Heard Communications expanded rapidly in the early 2020s, purchasing or founding stations across Northern California. Additionally, Heard partnered with Weigel Broadcasting to bring some of their television networks to underserved areas.
Stations
| Logo | Description | Affiliation(s) |
|---|---|---|
|
KAZV-CD (channel 14 Modesto), founded in 1996, was purchased by ShaQuan Heard in 2014, before the founding of Heard Communications. It is the de-facto "flagship" of Heard's stations. |
14.1: Independent 14.2: Bounce TV |
|
KSQH-LD (channel 50 Chico) was founded in 2004 as KBIT. ShaQuan Heard purchased the station in 2018, changing the call letters and launching a news operation. Heard Communications was founded after the purchase to oversee both KSQH and KAZV. |
50.1: Independent 50.2: Story Television 50.3: Movies! |
|
KFTY-TV (channel 50 Santa Rosa) was founded in 1981. Heard purchased the station in 2022 after the demise of Azteca América, which had previously owned it. KFTY is Heard's only full-power station. KFTY has aired LGBTv on its .2 subchannel since the network's launch in 2023. |
50.1: Independent 50.2: LGBTv 50.3: Fubo Sports Network 50.4: Outlaw |
|
KYBA-LD (channel 32 Yuba City) was formerly KSTV-LD in Sacramento. Founded in 2007, KSTV was purchased by Heard in 2024 and moved to Yuba City. The new KYBA went to air in 2025 after being dark for several years. |
32.1: Independent 32.2: LATV |
|
KBHY-LD (channel 49 Yreka) was formerly KBSC-LP in Brookings, Oregon. Heard purchased the station in 2025 and moved it to Yreka, California. |
49.1: Independent 49.2: Story Television 49.3: MeTV Toons 49.4: Movies! |
|
KRHT-LD (channel 41 Redding) was founded in 2007 as an Azteca América station. Heard purchased the station from Gary Hanson in 2025; a stipulation of the sale was that Heard keep the original affiliations on 41.2 and 41.3. |
41.1: Independent 41.2: SonLife 41.3: ShopLC 41.4: Catchy Comedy 41.5: MeTV Toons |
|
K17XR-D (channel 17 Eureka) was founded by Heard in 2025, with plans to launch in 2026. Heard has applied to change the call letters to KXRO-LD upon launch. |
17.1: Dark (will be independent) 17.2: MeTV (planned) 17.3: Story Television (planned) 17.4: Heroes & Icons (planned) |
|
KHMM-CD (channel 23 Visalia) was purchased by Heard in 2025, with plans to relaunch in 2026. |
23.1: Dark (will be independent) 23.2: LGBTv (planned) |
Planned stations
Heard currently has plans to purchase or open at least seven more stations:
- KRRI-LD 25 Reno: Heard purchased the license for this former Azteca América station in 2024. KRRI's studio and transmitter facilities were sold during bankruptcy proceedings for the former owner, and Heard is currently looking for replacements. As such, no air date for the station is currently available, and the license may be canceled.
- KCCF-LD 46 Atascadero: In 2025, Heard approached this Santa Barbara-area independent with plans to purchase it. A purchase is reportedly in the negotiation phase.
- K07RH-D 12 Elko: Heard applied for a construction permit for this station in Elko, Nevada, with hopes to bring the station to air by 2028.
- KBIT-LD 24 Monterey: As of July 2025, Heard is in negotiations to purchase this station. Interestingly enough, Heard's second station, KSQH-LD, held the same call letters when it was purchased by ShaQuan Heard in 2018.
- KIJR-LD 47 Lucerne Valley and/or KDUO-LD 43 Palm Desert and/or KVVB-LD 33 Victorville: Heard has opened inquries into purchasing at least one of these Southern California independents, but no decision has been finalized; all might fall through.
- K42KD-D 42 Barstow: Heard applied for a construction permit for this station in Barstow, California, with hopes to bring the station to air by 2028. Heard further hopes to bring the station to full power "in the next ten years," though presently they only have a low-power license.
- "KSSN" Susanville: The internal name for Heard's plans to open a station (possibly full power) in the town of Susanville in Lassen County, California. Plans are described as being in the "vision" stage, with no channel number or call letters assigned, though channel 6 is considered "likely". (KSSN already belongs to an FM station in Little Rock, Arkansas.) Heard hopes to open the station "around 2030."
Other ventures
SoothingSounds
 |
| A screenshot of an early version of SoothingSounds (then called "Sleep Sounds") as aired in summer 2024 on McFly's ham TV station, KD6MMJ. |
SoothingSounds is Heard's first foray into the world of digital multicast television networks. The brainchild of KFTY producer Martin McFly Jr, SoothingSounds will play nature audio over a black screen, with the intention that viewers will "watch" the channel while relaxing or sleeping. Heard is in the process of developing the network, which is currently planned to launch on all Heard stations in 2026.
McFly first conceived of the network while playing various YouTube videos while sleeping. During the summer of 2024, while home from college, he aired audio culled from YouTube on his ham TV station in Hill Valley, demonstrating the channel to Heard. McFly was subsequently hired by Heard, which also bought the idea for SoothingSounds.
SoothingSounds plans to air "daily themes" from noon to noon each day, i.e. one broadcast day will air sounds of running water, another day rain, another day crickets, and so on. The themes are not finalized as of July 2025.